Jalal Mela concludes in Mymensingh

A two-day festival dedicated to Jalal Uddin Khan, the great baul artiste of Mymensingh region, concluded at Town Hall premises Friday evening.

Jalal Chetona Parishad Mymensingh, an organisation established in memory of Jalal Khan organised the festival styled Jalal Mela, the first of its kind in the country.

A baul artiste and composer, Jalal Khan was born at village Ashodhati on April 24, 1894 in Kendua upazila of Netrakona . He embarked in the persona of a baul in 1922 and composed some 500 songs, still now widely sung by baul artistes of the country. A volume of his songs was published. He died on May 31, 1972.

Prominent baul artistes from Mymensingh, Dhaka, Netrakona, Kishoreganj, Sherpur, Kustia and Natore performed at the festival.

The artistes were Shafi Mondal, Sunil Karmaker, Chandana Mazumder, Emon Talukder, Siraj Pathan, Suvash Rozario, Doel, Umed Ali, Anwar, Hasan, Yunus, Islam Uddin, Ashik, Aungshuman Dutta, Sohan Jajabor, Ruma Sarker, Jesmin Sarker, Lizu Baula and Mukul Sarker.

Marking the festival, discussions were held. Additional Divisional Commissioner of Mymensingh Mozammel Haque, Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md Khalilur Rahman and poet-lyricist Shahidullah Farazi spoke at the inaugural session, among others.

Poet Amjad Dulon, Sajal Quraishy and Enayet Kabir Surya anchored the two-day event.